1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to adjustable supports.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been several attempts to design portable devices that provide external traction to an injured limb. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,971 to Borschneck describes an emergency leg splint that telescopes for length adjustment. However, splints like Borschneck's are relatively large and bulky making them difficult to transport and impractical.
Splints designed to be portable such as Borschneck's do not provide significant mechanical advantage, so these splints are less useful for fracture or dislocation reductions. Current traction splints are also generally designed specifically for femoral traction only. Furthermore, current traction splints cannot be adjusted to exactly fit the limb being supported without extension beyond the leg. Nor do current portable splints have functionality in addition to use as a splint.